Soon after developing his more brightly colored impressionist style during the early 1910s, Redmond became identified with his paintings of poppy fields, meeting a steady demand with not a few potboilers. It is easy to imagine why this subject should have become so popular, since the dry, nearly colorless native Southern California landscape offers nothing to compare with the broad expanses of poppies, lupine, and other wildflowers that transform the landscape with their brief springtime blossoming during several weeks in February and March. The carpet of bright flowers is seen against the more delicate colors of the brush and foliage that have been freshened by the winter rains. Like many others of his mature works, the museum’s exceptionally large and impressive example was painted on an especially rough fabric that adds to the strong sense of overall texture. Redmond’s brushstrokes, distinct, short dashes of color strongly suggesting intervening atmosphere, contribute to this sense of texture. Except for accents, such as the blooms in this painting, Redmond’s palette is usually deeper than that of many of the American impressionists. Its ownership by Raymond Griffith suggests a date for the museum’s painting of around the time of his association with the artist in 1926.
